Kolkata, Jan 29: At least 37 were killed and several injured after a bus ferrying 56 passengers plunged into a canal in West Bengal's Murshidabad. The death toll is feared to rise as operation is underway to extricate more bodies from the canal.

The ill-fated bus, plying from Karimpur in Nadia district was moving towards Malda. However, it rammed into the railing of Balighat bridge in Murshidabad and fall into the canal in the early hours of the day.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was involved in the rescue operations by the time this report was published.

At least four of the passengers on the bus survived by swimming out of the canal.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the next kin of the victims.

State Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikari was sent by the Chief Minister to oversee the rescue operations.

Leader of Opposition Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also reached the spot to take stock of the situation. While speaking to reporters, the Congress leader blamed the ruling Trinamool Congress government for the carnage, saying that adequate level of safety is not maintained on the roads, "despite collecting toll taxes". He further demanded an independent probe into the accident.

Earlier in the day, locals burnt down a police vehicle near the site of accident, alleging delay in the rescue operations by the authorities.

Survivors, while speaking to local media, said the driver of the bus was speaking on the phone while riding. "He was handling the steering wheel using only his left hand, and suddenly it rammed into the railing of the bridge and fall," a passenger was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

TMC's Murshidabad youth wing leader Saumik Hossain said the bus driver lost control over the vehicle as there was low visibility due to the fog.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 29, 2018 07:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).